This invention relates to a method and composition for inhibiting of the growth of ovarian cancer cells and tumors.
The Mullerian duct in females develop into the uterus, fallopian tube and upper vagina.
Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS) is a testicular product which initiates regression of the Mullerian duct in the male embryo of many mammalian species including rabbit, rat, calf and humans during the middle third of gestation and causes the Mullerian duct in the male to degenerate irreversibly.
MIS is interspecific so that its activity can be tested on the Mullerian ducts of fetal species other than the species of derivation.
Prior to the present invention, MIS has been isolated by incubating the cells of animal fetal testes in an organic culture. Thereafter, the medium is harvested and the active MIS containing fraction is isolated by standard techniques such as by centrifugation and chromatography. While the material obtained by this process contains active MIS, its use in treating animal cells is limited because it is not sufficiently pure. In addition, prior to the present invention, MIS had no known use other than the activity it exhibited in regression of Mullerian duct growth. It would be desirable to provide a method for obtaining MIS in sufficiently pure form so that it can be utilized to determine its effect on animal cells such as ovarian cancer cells. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a relatively pure MIS-containing composition to determine its effect on animal ovarian cancer cells in a selective manner without an undesirable toxic effect on normal cells.